Community Stories

3 Stories from Volunteers, Donors & Supporters

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I recently joined the board at Operation Help and I've been very impressed by the hard work of so many people that volunteer their time as well as the generosity of donations to help people in St. Croix County. There are also many fun fundraisers planned every year to generate more money. Operation Help was set up as a nonprofit to help people needing emergency help with rent, utilities, car repairs, and even clothing and diapers.

As a long-time resident of Hudson, I've heard many great things about Operation Help from many people over the years. They provide much needed financial help to many people in St. Croix County. I've enjoyed volunteering as have my friends for this worthy cause. Almost all donations (over 90%) are spent directly to help people in need!

Operation HELP provides residents of St. Croix County with financial assistance, a place for personal support, and connections to community resources to alleviate short-term economic crises. Our programs include rent, utility and minor auto repair assistance; vouchers for gas, laundry, farmer's market, and FoodHarvest; emergency cold weather wear; Christmas for Kids gift program; undergarments, toiletries, hygiene, and miscellaneous baby items; referrals to other community resources; and a safe place to use our phone or computers or someone to talk to about what you're experiencing. In 2016, we serviced over 3,500 individuals - over half of these are children - with over $165,000 in assistance. Many of our clients are experiencing short-term financial issues due to unemployment or a temporary job loss, unplanned medical expenses, or living on a fixed or low income. We do this with over 5,000 hours of volunteer support - we have only 1 paid employee but have over 30 volunteers and because of that, in 2016, 98% of our funding goes directly to programs that support our clients. In St. Croix County where approximately 29% of residents are struggling to pay basic expenses, we try to prevent homelessness through our emergency and ongoing programs. Whether you're in need or looking for a volunteer or donation opportunity, check us out!